Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from May, 2023 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 1:20 pm on May 26, 2023 Permalink  

  Dust Bunnies 

  Today, I could hear the dust bunnies snickering at me.  We have had windows open when the winds were brisk, our front door with no storm door on has been open and I think the winds blew in what a good dust bunny is made of.  Loading up some Swiffers took care of the laminate flooring as well as the vinyl on the east end of the house and the west end of the house.  Our washer and dryer in the bathroom does add to the lint in the house.  Dennis needs to wear a Velcro boot on his left foot and I do not make him take it off and on as his day progresses.  So an investment of a few Swiffers takes on the dust bunnies.  Mission completion.

  When I had shopped for groceries yesterday, I bought some English cucumbers.  This forenoon I thin sliced an onion, thin sliced some cukes and mixed all with mayo and a bit of cream.  They are co-mingling with a hefty amount of black pepper in the refrig for supper.  I had two chicken tenderloins to take out of the freezer.  Dennis always makes instant potatoes for four people.  Of course there are leftovers.  Putting those potatoes on good china, aka: a paper plate with a damp paper towel over them, they reheat perfectly.  Supper is in the bag.

  A load of laundry got done in between time.

  My visit to the studio this afternoon was all about cleaning and oiling the sewing machine.  After doing more than 2,300′ of orange trim on the 32 blocks of t-shirts, there was orange fuzz everywhere including the rotary cutter blades that needed cleaning.  With a new 80/12 needle in the sewing machine, the work in the studio may continue tomorrow.  As I had mentioned, our long holiday weekend is low key . . . all ours.

  This afternoon, I still have some time to perch upon my cheery red reading chair and take in some of the south breeze coming in.  We will be starting to make new dust bunnies.

   
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  Noreen 2:30 pm on May 22, 2023 Permalink  

  Here Comes Monday 

  Traffic past the house is indicative that a working Monday is underway.  The school buses will soon be out of the fray.

  Of course the grass was way too wet for mowing this morning.  After Dennis had a coffee guest in the patio porch he decided to check his eyelids for cracks in his recliner.

  This afternoon the Cub Lo-Boy was fired up.  I walked to the backyard as Dennis was mowing.  The new blades are doing a great job.  The front yard is done with the Sears rider set at a higher height than anywhere else.  It eliminates scalping next to the drive.  

  I took an oven dish out of the freezer for our evening meal before I visited the studio. 

  I put several colors, black and orange, out on the table top that now has 16 blocks laying out.  I think the bright orange for sashing that is also in the quarter inch trims, is too bright. A two or three inch strip in the orange to sew the blocks together takes away from the continuity as the eye moves from t-shirt block to t-shirt block.  The orange and black is laid out.  As I work in the studio and catch a glimpse of the two from time to time, in the end I will know what will be best.  Food for thought.

  In the mean time, in between time, the trim is being made into bias tape strips and then sewn on the 16″ blocks.  

  After doing six blocks, the lights went out in the studio.  I want to do a bit of weed whipping tomorrow.  There are always a few places that a rider mower cannot get to.  Taking the battery weed whip makes the mowing look complete.

  Going out to the front deck, the town is alive with the sound of mowers.  Time will tell how many of our yards Dennis will do today.

   
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  Noreen 2:13 pm on May 20, 2023 Permalink  

  Check That Off 

  Today we had another item to check off of our “to do” list.

  My hand signals were good enough to help Dennis hook up the implement trailer to the little red pickup.  We had gotten a call that the 1968 Cub Lo-Boy was ready to come home with three brand new blades on the mower.  Charles told Dennis he greased everything that needed it once it was up on the hoist.  Charlie can no longer work in his shop due to a severe back injury that occurred when he was working for the county.  Charlie was servicing a pump on a county ditch when the area around the pump caved in on him.  Charlie has good workers in his shop and oversees everything.

  Dennis came home and unloaded his tractor.  It went right into the back garage, the trailer was parked and all was right with the world.

  After Dennis had left for Charlie’s this morning, I walked back home across the acre.  The heavy rains did a great job of dissolving all the deer pop from the winter.  Hmm.  There were tiny little biting bugs.  Not surprising.  I do have some sweet little yellow flowers to take care of on the east Hosta garden that wants to make a showing.  So be it.  Just not today.

  I had a good handle on getting some 16″ blocks tricked out with the quarter inch trim.  As I whiled away a few hours, it was great reflecting on how far we came this last week getting the basement back in good stead.

  We are having a scramble egg, sausage and toast supper.  Sweet!

   
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  Noreen 2:12 pm on May 16, 2023 Permalink  

  Tuckered 

  Today began the washing/damp mopping of hot bleach water on the concrete floors in the basement.  The stairwell closet has ceased with the seepage.  Good deal.  The cistern closet was also dry.  Both were homogenized.  

  I had lowered the setting on our huge dehumidifier Sunday.  In time it will be set to its usual which Complete Basements recommends at 52%.  We are scheduled for them to check the sump pump system later on this spring.  It has been so wonderful to be able to open the basement windows that Complete Basements of Mankato put in at the same time of the tile around the perimeter of the basement and the vapor barrier under the bathroom.  What we really appreciated was going with Complete Basement for everything.  One stop contact if something goes amiss. If the city’s system had not been overwhelmed, we would not have had any water problems in the large basement room, aka: my studio.

  Dennis began mowing at 12:30 today.  He has been by to re-fuel.  I think his hinny will be ready for a break this evening.  It’s easy to think there is another day coming for some additional mowing, but once Dennis starts, not so much.  

  After the damp mop was retired until more of the same tomorrow, it was oven dish prep.  I had one bag of the rotisserie chopped chicken in the freezer.  There was also a bag of pepperoni that was close to the “sell by” date.  A can of white kernel corn and Alfredo sauce was folded into the sha-bang.  One jar of sauce was not going to cut if for this batch.  Pouring on only half of the jar of Alfredo, I poured into the jar some heavy cream and gave the jar several hard shakes.  Folding all ingredients together for a good moist dish.  Between butter and cream, you can never go wrong.  As Dennis doesn’t care for pizza, this oven dish is close to a pizza.  Pasta in exchange of a crust.  In times past, Cassey’s had a chicken alfredo pizza.  To top things off, I threw in a handful of sharp cheddar shredded.  It made a huge batch, so I split the full blue speckled roaster contents in half so the freezer also has an offering for another time. 

  Folding the prep of an oven dish and mopping of concrete, I am going rest the arms to sit on my bright red reading chair for a bit of a break.  It is a partly sunny day with 79 degrees.

   
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  Noreen 3:52 pm on May 10, 2023 Permalink  

  Sweet Treat 

  This afternoon Dennis and I made a trip north.  The kids had spied with their little eyes when they were out and about, a chair that might fit in nicely into our little home.  Today that bright red cheery chair settled right into my bedroom which is also my reading room.

  When we were settled, I tried out the adjustments on the chair . . . a total of six of those.  I have never had a chair with which to read by that actually fits my body.  In times past, I never gave my body a thought.  Now, I know that teeny tiny voice that can be ever so annoying . . . is my body voicing its opinion.  I now know to listen to it.

  What made our road trip complete was stopping at the Dairy Queen for small sized ice cream cones.  Yum!  Our first of the season.

  Dennis decided to mow our original lot this late afternoon.  He heard of possible weather coming in for tomorrow.  It is the last of the “first of the season” areas to trim.  Dennis mows this first quite high to give it all a leveling out.  He does have a method to his mowing.  Early on, we decided I would not be doing any mowing.  Using the weed whip is a movement of twisting at the waist like waving a wand for success.  The push mower involves hitching up the shoulders as mowing in one straight line isn’t going to happen . . . not a good thing, lots of turning corners. 

  There was a half bag of pasta that I decided to cook up.  Some all beef meatballs were thawed.  A jar of Alfredo, a huge hand full of shredded cheddar cheese from the freezer, the pasta and the meatballs will be put in at 325 degrees at about 45 minutes.  I always use my thermometer to make sure the dish will be piping hot.  Thus is our supper.  There is determination to continue cleaning out the freezer.  Fear not . . . we will not go hungry whilst on Stauffer Avenue.

  Good thing we had our sweet treat early in the afternoon.

   
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  Noreen 1:59 pm on May 7, 2023 Permalink  

  A May Sunday 

  A cool Sunday, but much going on.

  Dennis and I have been doing some surveying work this afternoon.  One of the lots that we purchased on a tax forfeit is the backyard of our friend Edna’s home.  Edna’s house is now for sale.  Dennis wanted to have a marker where our lot extended to the north.  I agree with Dennis that with Edna having moved, he will no longer mow that lot around the home and to the street.  Dennis has plenty to mow and the realtor getting his percentage when this home sells can nicely mow it or find someone to mow it.

  We went on to check out our lot line of the barn acre.  Dennis was relieved when stepping off going from west to east, there is a whole bunch of mess that is not ours to the south.  We have made strides in this newly acquired acre.  The mowing that Dennis did on Friday made a huge improvement. 

  The studio lights have been on today.  Having worked with my computer software, I will now be able to add a block, actually two blocks, to each twin-sized project.  I had Michael’s dates that he was with the Gibbon fire department and finding a helmet to download, this will make a nifty addition.  The block stitching out at 85% made for little to no puckering.  In time when quilt blocks are sandwiched with backing and batting any puckering is quilted out.  I have one down and the second of the same design is now stitching.  While the module is at work it gives me an opportunity to iron stabilizer and trim those ironed blocks at 16 x 16.  The blocks had to be that large to capture as much of the designs on his t-shirts as possible.

  Supper is going to be tuna sandwiches and soup.  I had a thumbs up on that choice.  Neither one of us have done enough today to warrant anything heavier.

  A new week with new possibilities as to what will present itself.  Enjoy, smile and find something to bring about hearty laughter.

   
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  Noreen 2:58 pm on April 20, 2023 Permalink  

  The Last Task 

  Oh my oh my, have we ever had the rain.  The blessing is that the ground around the patio porch has been able to take it.  No flooding, no tornadoes . . . as I said, blessings.

  Yes, the king sized project is now officially a quilt.  There are bits and pieces of leftover fabric I need to put in their place.  Black and orange will not be in my future for some time.  When Dennis came into the studio to see the finished item, we did manage to get the quilt folded, so my church tables look tidy.  I could not resist putting my John Henry onto AJ’s quilt.  It didn’t take but a few minutes to put the embroidery module onto the machine and play around with the fonts that are already loaded on the sewing machine.  The quilt hooped up nicely and I found the perfect spot on one of the bottom corners.  This was indeed the last task on this project.  It just so happens that the block that is adjacent is the only embroidered block not done in manly colors.  The quilt needed a heart on it.  When I texted AJ, he may see us this weekend.  

  As the studio is too cool to make a day of being down here, I gathered up some supplies from the pantry down here and decided on making an oven meal.  That should warm up the entire house.  I don’t carry items up from the basement.  I took what I had gathered and set them on the second step from the bottom.  As I walked up each step, so did my supplies.  It does take me a bit for me and the supplies to reach the kitchen.  But we do make it to the first floor and for me, it is safety first. 

  The oven dish is a layer of diced raw chicken tenders in a Pam sprayed baking dish with a sprinkling of Lawry’s seasoning salt.  One can of drained green beans placed equally.  A package of DRY Stove Top Stuffing sprinkled over the dish making sure the bottom of the package that has all of the seasoned herbs is sprinkled evenly.  A can of cream of chicken soup that I added the last of the cream I had and whipped it together.  That is the topping.  Bake covered.  It will be in at 325 – 350 degrees for an hour, using my thermometer to let it reach 155 – 165 degrees.  Here is my secret . . . if not as moist as what was anticipated after each of us have spooned a helping onto the plate. . . add butter.  You can never go wrong with butter.

  Tomorrow, the last of the week, with no promise of better weather.  We need to suck it up and make the best of it.

   
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  Noreen 1:09 pm on April 14, 2023 Permalink  

  A Sweet Friday 

  Dennis and his friend Dwayne joined the rest of the fellows at McDonald’s.  I had a plan when I got up at eight.

  The breeze from the south was brisk.  My plan was to give loft to the leaves next to the picket fence between neighbor Jan’s and us.  With the old rotting lilacs having been cut out last summer, I was able to get right next to the fence.  I had help.  Snuggles was right there sniffing every time when a layer of leaves was lifted.  From there the two of us walked to the far east line of the acre.  The branches that had blown down over the winter, I put on the trailer that was parked to next to the garage.  There were too many to carry to our burning ring closer to the patio.

  I had worn out snuggles and he decided on a nap in the patio porch.  I found the dandelion poker and took out some of the plants that had made it through the winter.  Some of the catnip plants were greening out.  I poked a few of those and Harriet appeared from nowhere to enjoy the high from chewing on them.  Sweet.

  The last of my outdoor energy, I used on clipping off the old canes of the Russian Sage on the southwest corner of the house.

  I walked into the house right with Dennis as he returned home from the coffee clutch.

  My thought process while doing some yard work is that I need to build up my strength after a long winter’s nap.  Doing housework and taking time in the studio is not allowing leg muscles to remain strong enough to supplement my core muscles.  A little bit at a time and it feels sweet.

  I took an hour and opened a new book to read, sitting in my bedroom porch.  The breeze through the west window was just as great as the leftover breakfast coffee.  That hour gave me the moxie to cook up some pasta.  The meatballs from Easter had enough spices to carry them to today.  I used some softened cream cheese into the drained hot pasta along with the minced, cut up meatballs.  Supper on Stauffer Avenue is on!  Dennis is doing up my dishes as I type.  Can sweetness of the day carry on?  I think so.

  All that remains for the day is changing the dressing on Dennis’ foot.  I have so enjoyed this day.

  I did share the same sentiment as Dennis did when he came home.  The black flies are out in force.  Dennis had stopped at nephew Brett’s garage.  All that there is at the site is gravel as the fellows are getting the trailers ready for DOT inspections.  The black flies were making the fellows work one handed as they were swatting flies away.

  Too much summer, too quickly.

   
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  Noreen 2:16 pm on April 1, 2023 Permalink  

  Keeping Busy 

  A day to stay busy and let carpenters do their thing.  Bryan and Carlos were here early considering they needed to brush snow off of the tarp of lumber waiting to be used.

  Oh yes.  We had freezing mist and snow with high winds.  Could this be the last of it!

  True to my word to Dennis, I have stayed out of the way of the front door project.

  It seemed like a good day to try out an embroidery pattern I downloaded yesterday.  I don’t want to forget how the downloading process goes.  If I did forget, I would feel that an entire window of possibilities would be closed to me.  Yes, each design does cost about $3.50 each.  I couldn’t even go uptown and have a cup of coffee with a donut for that.  Once I download it, I have ownership of it to use as often as I want.  

  The three towels I embroidered today is an example of my ownership.  We have a towel of a Mackintosh red apple tree, a green Grannie Smith apple tree and one Golden Delicious apple tree.  It kept me busy and the best part is, there are no puckers in the embroidery.  Just as in keeping my hand in downloading, it is also remembering what stabilizers to use for the best outcome. 

  The sun is out and it is bright, but last night’s dumping has kept the temps cool.

  As Dennis and I had been beating the bushes for quite some time to have carpenters on board, I have taken it upon myself to post Bryan’s business card on Facebook.  Bryan and his wife, plus Carlos, moved here from New York last summer to help Bryan’s father-in-law with the huge two story house across the way from us.  Bryan’s decided to stay in St. James, so Carlos did also.  Seeing Bryan’s van in our driveway is good advertising so the business card on Facebook can’t hurt either.

  Our town needs carpenters and repair people.  The Good Old Boys Club has dwindled.

  We have decided on eggs and sausages for supper.  I picked up a package of Jimmy Dean’s pre-cooked link sausages.  If the links are as good as the patties by the same brand . . . I will let you know what the foodies think.

  Have a blessed Sunday.

   
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  Noreen 2:01 pm on March 24, 2023 Permalink  

  Sun and Calm 

  Sniff, sniff.  I can smell spring in the air.

  We are going to need an awful lot of sun such as we have today to melt through all the layers of ice in our backyard.  Right east of the patio porch where the deer have been feeding all winter, the sun doesn’t make much of an impact.  Fleet Farm sold Dennis some salt pellets and he is trying to help things along.

  As I drove to Old Alley this forenoon on #4, I couldn’t help but notice that south of Ormsby there wasn’t near as much snow to melt.  Not all things are fair in the winter season.  As I had mentioned Old Alley will be long arming AJ’s t-shirt quilt.  All I had to do was pick out the batting and bid a goodbye until I get the phone call to retrieve it.  In the mean time, in between time, I will get the binding cut and pressed.  As Val measured it the final count was 94″ x 112″.  It’s a good thing the batting is 122″. 

  The railroad tracks are just north of us by a block.  Even the train whistle sounds happier today.  Sweet.

  I stopped at the library before I came home.  Sometimes I have a difficult time finishing a book before it becomes due.  I had a plastic grocer’s bag with me and I shopped from the rack of books that are offered for free as those have been retired.  It doesn’t really need to be a certain author.  I can get into a book’s story line quite easily.  I have a total of eight books out in my bedroom porch, ready to enjoy at will.

  I won’t be having a post tomorrow.  Dennis and I will be traveling to Montevideo, northwest of here by two hours.  Dennis’ granddaughter Sadie is in the military and will be receiving her commission as Sergeant Major.  Dennis will be pinning her.  Dennis will have on the clothing that identifies him as a Korean Veteran.  Sweet for both Grandpa Dennis and for Sadie.  Sadie is a single mom of two and is 38 years old.  Sadie has served well.

  One more oven dish from the freezer for supper.  It is a tuna and pea pasta dish with Alfredo.  That is the last of the goodies to come out of the freezer.  Oh my gosh, I will have to cook from scratch going forward . . . or not. 

  I did score an appointment with Kelly at the Bernina shop for Monday.  Be forewarned as there will also be a visit to Fairfax in the afternoon.